GREY HIGHLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Meeting June 19, 2014

Chamber Office, 13 Toronto St South, Markdale MINUTES

Present: Ron Gillespie, Charmaine Peever, Don Kopplin, Pam Petch, Mark Edwards, Colleen Boer, Aakash Desai, Janie Badgerow, Lynn Silverton, Anna McCarthy Regrets: Doug Crawford, Michele Freeling Charmaine opened the meeting as Chair until Aakash arrived to take over. 1. Call to order at 7:04pm. 2. Minutes to the previous meeting a. Errors and Omissions: None. b. MOTION: to adopt the Minutes dated May 15 2014 as presented. Moved by: Janie Badgerow. Seconded by: Pam Petch. CARRIED. 3. Presentation, Staying in Grey, Roseanne Caruso and Wolfgang Mueller Staying in Grey is a group of accommodations owners, merchandisers and eateries in the area. They came together as a group to have more of an impact on local tourism. There are currently about 30 members. They went to Council for support, not necessarily for funding but for moral support. They have done a lot of research as to why people come to Grey Highlands and what they want. Because they are accommodations owners, they are at the front line and strike a relationship with their guests. They wanted to convince Council of the value of Grey Highlands’ assets, and believe that the Municipality should expand their strategic plan for tourism. Staying in Grey has the official support of Grey County, and unofficially from the Municipality of Grey Highlands. Roseanne is hoping that with the support of the County and the Municipality and hopefully the Chamber that a plan will be worked out. Roseanne is meeting with Dan Best tomorrow morning to talk about next steps with the Municipality. Roseanne would like to meet with the Chamber in the fall for further discussions and planning. Janie would like to know if there are any brochures that could be included in the Cruise Night grab bags. Stayingrey.ca will donate some brochures and something for a draw prize as well. 4. Business Arising from the Minutes None 5. President’s Report: Doug Crawford: not present 6. Treasurer’s Report: Don Kopplin See attached reports. MOTION: to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented.

Moved by Ron Gillespie. Seconded by Pam Petch. CARRIED. 8. Municipal Liaison’s Report: Lynn Silverton The Municipality has been talking with Boyd’s regarding the building for sale in Flesherton. Parking is needed in Flesherton. Lynn doesn’t think the Genoe building will work for the Chamber, and that renting the Boyd’s building may be a good option in the future. Talisman Report: Mold remediation is currently taking place in the buildings. 7 of 12 of the workers are local, and will have the appropriate training for future employment. The golf course will be brought back, a spa, convention centres and hotels. There is to be a culinary school in future. The new owner will not be operating the ski hill. 8. Vice President’s Report: Aakash Desai Nothing to report. 9. Secretary’s Report: Anna McCarthy See attached correspondence. The September 18th Chamber meeting will be held in the Chamber office. Future meetings will be at the Chamber office in Markdale, unless it is decided ahead of time to have a meeting at an outlying community. All Candidates Meeting September 24th in Markdale – Chamber All Candidates meeting – Markdale Complex 7pm We should advertise the event by putting up posters around town, through the Chamber Chat, email blast and website. We should email blast the membership and ask for questions they would like to ask. 10. Other Business Cruise Night Update, Mark The Cruise Night posters are available for distribution. Rotary will be doing 2 food booths. Market Shop is staying open late that night. Ron is offering free drinks to all Cruise Night volunteers. Charmaine AGM – Topic and Speakers The year we had the best turnout was when we focused on economic development. Charmaine wanted to ask the Board if it was okay to pursue this theme for the AGM. Charmaine was thinking of having Belinda from Minto as a speaker. Doug’s letter for inclusion in the Chamber Chat (see attached), also reflects this theme for the AGM. Charmaine was planning on seeing if someone from the Municipality would be willing to come to the AGM to speak. The awards for Citizen and Business of the Year will also be presented at the AGM. The AGM will be at the Kinplex on Thursday November 20th. Don suggested John Anderson as a speaker on climate change and its economic impact at the AGM.

Lynn: Dan Best has been in touch with Sobey’s 2 or 3 times to see what they are providing to employees and what the plans are for the building. The misinformation and lack of information is doing the most damage. Flesherton Fling Request Charmaine received an email from Carol Wood of Local Colour. She is asking that the Chamber sponsor up to $300 in advertising from Murray’s Print for the Fling. She always comes in under budget. MOTION: the Chamber will support the Fling with credit for up to $300 at Murray’s Print Shop. Moved by Charmaine Peever. Seconded by Colleen Boer. CARRIED. Charmaine There was a request to hang a sign in the Chamber window and on the website advertising a job position. The flyer was posted in the Chamber office and in Pam’s window. Mark will phone the local business owner to clarify and reach out to ask them to join as members. We should let Kate know that if anyone wants to post a poster for ‘help wanted’ that it is ok. We should consider having a ‘help wanted’ section on the website. MOTION: we will create a help wanted section on the Chamber website that will be free for any business in Grey County, with restrictions to be determined. Moved by Charmaine Peever. Seconded by Mark Edwards. CARRIED. Chamber Bucks The Minto Chamber of Commerce has “Minto Bucks”, which was launched in 2009. Members buy bucks from the Chamber, and then the businesses can hand out the bucks. The membership should be asked whether they want to participate in this through an email blast. We should check out the Minto website to see their current and successful program: www.mintochamber.on.ca/page/minto-bucks. Summer Gathering at Michele’s Charmaine will speak with Michele and pick a date. Radio Ads The Dock will come to present at the October meeting. Meeting adjourned at: 9:01 NEXT MEETING: Thursday September 18th @ Chamber office, 13 Toronto St South Markdale.

Chamber Chat, June 2014

As President of the Grey Highlands Chamber of Commerce, I feel compelled to comment on the

closing of the IFT in Markdale.

I believe most everyone knows that I own the Foodland store in Markdale and less know I am the

President of the Chamber of Commerce. Even as a competitor, the closing saddens me because

this is one more business in small town Ontario gone.

For the downtown merchants, and the town this means less reasons for area people to travel into

Markdale. The employees who worked there are unemployed and a large empty store leaves a

blight on Main Street.

The people of rural Ontario need to realize their towns disintegrating around them. As a society,

as a whole, we need to change the way we think now, because the erosion is happening all

around us. There is a need to challenge large companies to come to small towns. We need to

think outside the box on what to do to revitalize small town Ontario.

Small pockets of people are not enough but a rally of the population is. We need true thinkers on

this subject to come forward and begin the process: Revitalize rural Ontario.

It can be done.

Doug Crawford